Bow rest and clamping device.



H. B. WHITE.

BOW REST AND CLAMPINGVDEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2o, I9I6.

1,238,234. PaIenIedAug. 28,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

s Imm` IIIIIIJ HIIII o. ni I IH IIHIHHIII I Illlllllllllllllllll l IIIIIII l 'IIHIIHHIIIH MIIIIIHHIIH m IIIIIIII Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES i HARRY B. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GILLIAM MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F CANTON, OHIO, CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BOW REST AND CLAMPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A110. 28, 1917.

Application Jlled Apr120, 1916. Serial No. 92,337.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY B. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Bow Rest and Clamping Device, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to bow rests and clamping devices for supporting and clamping the bows of a vehicle top in folded position and has more especial reference to a bow rest adapted to support and clamp the bows without the necessity of providing spacing lugs for separately spacing and supporting each individual bow.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved bow rest and clamping device which will separately support and clamp the uppermost bow of the vehicle top and the lowermost bow, the provision of spacing lugs for separating, supporting and spacing the several bows being unnecessary either upon the bow rest or the bows.

A further object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and eilicient device of the character referred to which may be easily and readily operated to clamp or unclamp the bows.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of t-he invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bow rest and clamping device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the same. Fig, 3 is a rear edge elevation of the bow rest.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bow rest and clamping device showing the pivoted clamping arm in the raised position, a portion of the arm being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the lower portion of the stock and pivotedV arm, parts being broken away for the purpose of illustration.

Fig. G is a detail Vperspective view of the lower portion of the stock.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the free extremity of the pivoted clamping arm.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring more especially to the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the stock which is preferably T-shaped in cross section and is provided with an attaching socket 2 having a set screw 3 by means of which said stock is connected to and depends from the ordinary bracket which is provided upon automobiles and other vehicles for the purpose of supporting thebow rest and clamping device.

rlhe lower extremity of the stock is curved as shown at 4 forming a rest member arranged to receive the lowermost bow of a top, a pad 5 of leather or other suitable material being provided around the concaved upper face of said rest member to prevent the lower bow from being marrer or scratched. by contact with said rest member. A centrally located longitudinally disposed rib 6 is provided upon the under surface of the rest member 4, said rib being tapered toward the extremity of said rest member and provided with a recess 7 adapted to coact with the catch upon the pivoted clamping arm as will be hereinafter described.

The pivoted clamping arm 8 is provided at its upper extremity with the inwardly disposed portion 9 having a pair of spaced the stock 1, a pin 12 being passed through said ears and said portion 11 for the purpose of pivotally connecting the arm to the stock.

The upper portion of the clamping arm is provided with an inner curved surface 13 to conform to the contour of the upper bow, a projection 14 being provided upon the inner face of the arm for supporting the upper how. A similar projection 15 is provided upon the inner face of the clamping arm near the lower extremity thereof for the purpose of clamping the lower bow downwardly upon the rest member 4. A pad 16 of leather or other suitable material is provided upon the inner face of the arm 8 to prevent the bows from being marred or scratched by contact with said arm, the intermediate bows of the set as well as the upper and lower bows being engaged by said clamping arm. when in the clamped position as shown in Fig. 1.

A pair of curved spaced fingers 17 are formed upon the lower extremity of the clamping arm and arranged to be located beneath the rest member 4 and at each side of the rib 6 when the parts are in the clamped position. A web 18 connects the ears 17 at their lower edges and a leaf spring 19 is attached to the forward eX- tremity of said web by means of a rivet 20 or its equivalent, said spring bearing upon the latch 21 tending to normally urge the head 22 of said latch into engagement with the recess 7. The latch 21 is pivoted upon a pin 23 carried between the fingers 17 a finger piece 24 being provided upon the rear extremity of the latch for the purpose of operating the latch and also to act as a counter-weight to normally hold the latch in the locked position as best shown in Fig. 5 in the event that the spring 19 should become broken. A recess 25 is formed in the arm 8 to receive the extremity of the rest member 4 when the arm is in the clamped position.

When it is desired to clamp the bows of a vehicle top in the bow rest above described, the device is setin the opened position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the bows are then lowered in the usual manner, the lower bow resting upon the rest member 4 of the stock. The clamping arm is then swung downwardly, the portion 13 thereof engaging the upper bow and as said arm is moved into the clamped position the upper bow is clamped inwardly and downwardly, the projection 14 moving into place beneath said upper bow supporting the same against downward movement, the clamping arm 8 contacting with each successive lower bow in turn and forcing the same inwardly and as the arm reaches the limit of its movement as shown in Fig. 1 the projection 15 engages the lower bow holding the same against movement and the latch 21 will automatically loclr the clamping arm in the clamped position.

The rib 6 upon the rest member is received between the spaced fingers 17 of the clamping arm preventing any side movement of the clamping arm while in the clamped position. rlhe uppermost and lowermost bows of the vehicle top are thus separately supported and clamped in position, the intervening bows assuming the proper positions between said upper and lower bows and with this construction no spacing lugs upon the bows themselves or upon the bow rest and clamping device are necessary. The clamping arm also prevents any accidental hori- Zontal displacement of any of the bows.

As is well understood by those versed in the construction of vehicle tops as are commonly used upon automobiles and the like, each top consists of a plurality of bows hingedly connected at their lower extremities upon each side of the vehicle body, each bow being connected at its upper extremity to the corresponding bow upon the opposite side of the vehicle by means of a bar or rod extending across the top. Thus the natural tendency of each bow is to spring outwardly away from the vehicle body as the bows as well as their connecting rods are formed of spring material or of material of a slightly springy nature. When the bows of the top are folded down into the closed position the top bow of the set must be forced down considerably in order to be clamped within the l bow rest and clamping device. lVith the ordinary forms of bow rests and clamping devices it is necessary to force this upper bow down with one hand while the clamping device is operated with the other and to hold the bows in the folded position. lilith the present bow rest and clamping device embodying the invention disclosed in this application it is not necessary for the operator to draw the bows down by hand, the bows are merely lowered until the lower bow rests upon the rest member, after which the clamping arm is moved downwardly contacting with the upper bow of the set and forcing said upper bow downwardly as well as inwardly and when the clamping arm is moved to the limit of its movement it automatically locks to the rest member, clamping the bows in the closed position, the upper bow due to the springy nature of the bows and the construction thereof above pointed out being forced outwardly against the clamping arm and resting upon the projection 14, the intermediate bows tightly engaging the inner face of the clamping arm while the lower bow is held in engagement with the rest member by means of the projection 15. The entire set of bows is thus meegaat.

quickly and easily forced into thel clamped position and held clamped; inV this 1 position by the action of the clamping arm 8.

Although the drawings and above specilication disclose the best mode in which IV changes inv form and yconstruction may be made, as circumstances require or experience suggests, without departing from the spirit oi' the invention, within the scope of"A the appended claims.

l. In a device of the character described, a support adapted to be arranged at one side of a vehicle for supporting a set of top bows, an arm pivoted at the upper extremity of said support for forcing inwardly and downwardly and separately supporting the uppermost bow of the set and means for locking said arm in the clamped position.

In a device of the character described, a stock equipped with means for attaching it to a vehicle body, a rest member carried by said stock for supporting the lower bow of a top, an arm pivoted at the upper extremity of said stock for separately clamping inwardly and downwardly and supporting the upper bow and means for locking the free extremity of said arm to said rest member.

3. In a device of the character described, a stock equipped with means for attaching it to a vehicle body, a rest member mounted on said stock for supporting the lower bow of a top, a swingingly mounted bow inwardly and downwardly supporting clamping arm carried by the upper end of said stock for supporting and clamping the upper bow and means for locking the free extremity of said arm to said rest member.

et. In a device of the character described,

b the combination of a stock adapted to be arranged at one side of a vehicle for supporting a set of top bows, a rest member carried at the lower end of said stock for supporting the lower bow, a clamping arm pivoted at the upper extremity of said stock for separately forcing inwardly and downwardly and supporting the upper bow, the free extremity of said pivoted clamping arm arranged to Contact with said rest member and means for holding said clamping arm in the clamped position.

5. In a device of the character described, a stock provided with means for attaching it to a vehicle body, a rest member mounted upon the lower portion of said stock for supporting the lower bow of a top, a clamping arm pivoted at the upper end of said stock for forcing the upper bow downwardly and inwardly and supporting said upperfbow when'so'clamped', the 'freeiextremityl of I' said pivoted arm arranged to contact with fsaid rest Amember and means for holding saidv arm in the clamped kposition.y

6.@ Ina` device'of the character described, thecombination of a stock adapted to be arranged .at one side of a vehicle for supporting a set of top bows,arest member carried at fthe lowerend of said stock for supporting the lower bow, a clamping arm pivoted at the upper extremity of said stock for separately clamping inwardly and downwardly and supporting the upper bow, means for holding said clamping arm in the clamped position and means upon said arm for separately clamping the lower bow down when said arm is in the clamped position.

7. In a device of the character described, a stock arranged to be attached to a vehicle body, a rest member carried at the lower end of said stock for supporting the lower bow of a top, an L-shaped clamping arm pivoted at the upper end of said stock for separately forcing the upper bow downwardly and inwardly, a projection formed upon said arm for separately supporting the upper bow and a second projection upon said arm for separately clamping the lower bow downwardly and inwardly, and means for holding said arm in the clamped position.

8. In a device of the character described, a stock arranged to be attached to a vehicle body, a rest member carried at the lower end of said stock for supporting the lower bow of a top, a clamping arm pivoted at the upper end of said stock for separately supporting and forcing the upper bow downwardly and inwardly, a curved finger formed upon the free extremity of said arm and arranged to lie beneath said rest member when said arm is in the clamped position' and means for locking said arm in the clamped position.

9. In a device of the character described, a stock arranged to be attached to a vehicle body, a rest member carried at the lower end of said stock for supporting the lower bow of a top, a clamping arm pivoted at the upper end of said stock for separately supporting and clamping the upper bow downwardly and inwardly and a curved finger formed upon the free extremity of said arm and arranged to lie beneath said rest member when said arm is lin the clamped position, and means for automatically locking said clamping arm in the clamped position.

10. In a device of the character described, a stock arranged to be attached to a. vehicle body, a rest member carried at the lower end of said stock for supporting the lower bow of a top, a rib provided upon IIS the under side of said rest member, a clamp ing arm pivoted at the upper end of said stock for separately supporting and clamp* ing the upper bow downwardly and inwardly, a pair of Curved fingers formed upon the free extremity of said arm and arranged to lie upon each side of said rib and means for locking said clamping arm in the clamped position.

11. A device of the character described,

and means for holding said arm in the 15 clamped position.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my naine.

HARRY B. VVHTE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for :five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

